is it excessive to have a maid and a driver or should one just go for one or the other. Also, is it normal for your wife to insist on cleaning the whole house the day before the maid starts after a week of giving in depth thought to the subject of what she (the maid) is going to do on a daily basis when she starts work?Please offer some consultancy to my household in these troubled times...

Solution 1:Opt for multi-tasking and multi-talented maid-cum driver.Solution 2: Ask your wife to internalise or insource the functions instead of outsouircing itSolution 3: Go for a comprehensive CBA analysis and engagement compatibility review.The above is based on the limited constraints of cash and other managerial issues.Solution 4: Pay maid on hourly basis instead of contract engagementSolution 5: Use taxi instead of a driverSolution 7:In non-consultong term: It is not excessive, I have seen people engaging maid and driver at the same time. It also depends on their engagement - full time staff or just hourly rate staff? Are they staying with you or not? If you are fine with resources such money and place for them to stay ( a rich solution), just hire the two.

I used to work for a firm where the secretaries would regularly announce to the big-ego partners in front of all the staff, "Mr Bigego, your driver has arrived".Turns out it was just a pre-booked taxi. From the way it was announced and the way he acted, everyone had the impression he was employing a full-time chauffeur to drive him around in a Rolls Royce or something. What a fake.